The impact of House of Commons Select Committees

This project examined the impact of Select Committees, and was a collaboration between the Constitution Unit and House of Commons Select Committee staff. Seven departmental select committees were included in the study, and over 50 interviews with parliamentary and government insiders.

Findings

Committees are highly prolific, and producing increasing numbers of reports. Between 1997 and 2010 select committees probably produced almost 1500 inquiry reports (or 110 a year) and almost 40,000 recommendations and conclusions, of which 19,000 (or 1450 a year) were aimed at central government.

Committee recommendations call for a wide variety of actions by government. Relatively few (around 20%) relate to flagship policies. Around 40% call for a small policy change or continuation of existing policy, while the remainder call for larger changes.

Around 40% of recommendations are accepted by government, and a similar proportion go on to be implemented. Calls for small policy change are more likely to be accepted and implemented, but around a third of recommendations calling for significant policy changes succeed.

Select committees are most influential when they are strategic, timely or persistent. They could do more to follow up on previous inquiries, and monitor the progress of their recommendations. Media attention is also a double-edged sword. Public embarrassment is a key form of influence, but committees can sometimes veer towards ‘ambulance chasing’.